This invention relates to composite structures and in particular to a method of manufacturing such structures from fibre reinforced resin material.
The use of fibre reinforced resin composites for applications requiring a lightweight but strong structure is well known. The fibres most commonly used for such applications usually consist of either glass, carbon or metal, however a variety of other well known high strength materials could equally well be utilised. The fibre reinforced resin material is usually laid up in the form of laminations within a mould. Alternatively, it may be filament wound into a mould in the form of a resin impregnated multi-filament tow.
Such methods of making composite structures suffer a disadvantage in that it has proved difficult when using relatively stiff fibres to ensure that they follow changes of direction within the mould during the moulding process. This results in the fibre in these particular locations being inadequately compacted. This has proved a particular problem when making composite structures of complex three dimensional shape. This affects the overall strength of the structure and causes difficulties in maintaining dimensional tolerances in the completed composite structure.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a composite structure in which the aforementioned disadvantage is substantially eliminated.